Is it just me, or do others feel this too?

I really feel we are only as safe as the nearest psychopath allows us to be.
Do everything possible to avoid a physical attack ( be it in ones personal life or on the world stage). But when the chips are down, all that's left is fight back.
If that means for us on GN sharing our sadness, commiserating and trudging on. Then so be it.
That said, the war in the Ukraine never leaves my mind.
It's the feeling of uselessness that weighs heaviest.

Maddyone, I didn't say Thatcher started a war, I said that she went to war.

I'm the ever half full glass but have to confess that lately I've an inexplicable air of sadness about me. Couple of personal reasons don't help, but I mean in general. I think I was somewhat looking forward to the physical (not mental) release from covid and then Ukraine hit. Also I find the current political scene extremely depressing. Maybe it's just the constant bombardment? Who knows? However...... in spite of humans, Mother Nature is trying hard to get Spring through to us. I see many signs and try my hardest to cling to them. I do confess I have to dig deeper for the power of positive thinking at the moment. You are not alone OP.

I think the 'civilised' world is in a dangerous state at the moment.

Economic hardship creates a precarious environment where people look for someone to blame. Capitalism itself is a flimsy economic system because it's based on market forces and relies to some extent on winners and losers. It works OK when there is economic stability, but anything that upsets that stability (the rise in global energy prices, the pandemic, constitutional changes like Brexit (it matters not which way you voted, Brexit is a huge constitutional change, as was our entry to the EU club)... creates fear, unease and unrest.

And our leaders take political advantage of that unease and unrest because we are at our most vulnerable, and susceptible to being manipulated according to their whims and ideology. So it's a time when extremes of both Left and Right gain traction.

What is so distressing about it is that we, the people, as a whole, are a powerful force and if we could only join forces and convene together, we could summon our leaders - some of whom have helped create this fragile environment - and hold them to account, and demand that they take action that is beneficial to us as a whole.

But we don't, we cast around and blame each other, and our leaders exploit (and encourage) this divide-and-rule because it keeps them in their positions of power.

And that's why we feel, individually, helpless. Because we have no control over what is happening. We can only stand on the side lines and watch, and separately make our own gestures and contributions which we know instinctively are not going to change things, just alleviate immediate distress.

We donate to help the Ukrainian people - especially the women and children (particularly girls) who, as always, become the spoils of war. It's our need to do something, but that something is so limited. We want to stop the invasion, but we can't, and we watch helplessly as our various leaders take to the political stage and sometimes cooperatively and sometimes not decide the Ukrainian's (and our) future.

maddyone

Bossyrossy, Thatcher didn’t start a war anymore than Jacinda Ardern did/would. Thatcher responded to another country who invaded the Falklands. It’s very different.

Well said maddyone

Incidentally, did anyone watch the Ben Foge programme about The Falklands invasion at night? It was very good and shone a light into the dawning reports about the very small contingent of Royal Msrines stationed on the island.

Their reputations have been damaged for 40 years by some of the misreporting of the British media, in particular that unpleasant arrogant editor of that dreadful rag The Sun, Kelvin Mackenzie who went on to destroy the lives of many other people.

Ben Fogle, apologies
And not dawning but damning
Autocorrect - I should check.

Dickens, you put my thoughts into words, more eloquently thanI could have.
Thank You.

Humans have been destroying themselves and the planet since we first evolved. There have always been wars but now the weapons used are so much more sophisticated and deadly.
Anyone with any compassion will feel saddened by those who suffer at the hands of others.
I agree that it does affect me more now than when I was younger. I fear for my GCs in what is a very cruel world.

Trouble has always been there...but you just don’t notice it the same when you’re younger.

My husband and I have just finished watching a two part documentary about Mary Whitehouse. We’d heard of her of course, but knew nothing of the extent to which she campaigned, being toddlers when she started....1963.

We were surprised at just what was going on in those former years. It had completely gone over our heads.

I really wouldn’t worry. I don’t think we’re any different to our ancestors, or those who are to come.

It was, unfortunately, the industrial Revolution that has escalated the destruction. At least they had the excuse of not realising what problems fossil fuels were going to cause. We know now but still carry on as if nothing was wrong.

I feel the same Rameses.
It comes with age and I’ve cried about the War in Ukraine - just terrorising for the people there.
Find kindness and love and spread it too…

That was a very wise and insightful post Dickens

Yes you did Bossyrossy but unfortunately you used the term start a war with regard to Jacinda Adhern directly after saying Thatcher went to war. The unspoken suggestion was that Adhern would not start a war but Thatcher did. Anyway apologies if that is not what you meant.
Mind you, Adhern lives in a country that does not share a border with anyone else, and the country is miles away from other countries. It’s pretty isolated. I’ve been, it’s a beautiful country, but very isolated. I doubt any opportunity for starting a war would present itself to Adhern. We have to compare like with like. If Adhern were the President of a European country that was invaded then I expect she would have her forces fight.

I was about 11 when the Cuban missile crisis was happening, I have thought, since then, that the warmongers in this world will always have the upper hand, no matter how much we march and seek peace. Until every soldier lays down his arms and refuses to do what the rich people want (because basically, that is what they have to do) there will never be peace. I cringe at Christmas when its all 'Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Man' .... where??? and when???

I agree with all you say Rameses and if you are a sad old git then I am too. I do agree with those who have remarked that we become more reflective with age as well.

@Janamax
Glad you feel your life is happier now. I know this thread is not about Princess Diana , and I agree with you to some extent , but I can help but think some of her ' problems ' were also the demons within herself.

me too! me too! actually it helps me , in some strange way, to know that I am not the only one, crying heartfelt tears for humanity!

You are not on your own. The world has gone mad. People are no longer kind and cruelty both verbal and physical is accepted as the norm. So sad

I feel the exact way that you do. It is mind boggling as to how it is just a few human beings who come into power and lead these atrocities that impact the entire world. I wonder what it is about them that they can get others to follow. Why can't the good leaders overcome them? There are far more of them.

I don't know if there is any more conflict and inhumanity than there ever was. It's just that it is fed to us and we can access it 24/7 now.

What I have observed, though, is that there is far less nastiness and far more civilisation where women have equal access to public life. Whatever the race, religion or social group being considered, where there are just men making the rules and enforcing them, aggression and selfishness prevail and force is the main political lever.

I feel deep dread for the future of the world now. Living in Cornwall we have just lost Harry Billinger who was such an inspirational man raising funds for all his lost comrades. Why can we not learn from these conflicts that nothing is achieved in the long run but hatred. We hear the phrase the war to end all wars if only this was true. Do you think the world would be a better place if women were the rulers? Truth is probably not but at least we tend to talk more!

I think most people in this world would be more than happy with a moderately comfortable life - food on the table, a job, access to healthcare and education, peace in the world, an annual holiday ….. instead, we have a tiny minority (mostly men) who are hellbent of having obscenely and unimaginable wealth and power at any cost to other people and to the planet. Hence we have war, famine and global destruction. When are we, the majority, going to stop putting those sort of people into power and stand up to them?

I agree with maddyone: Argentina invaded the Falklands just as Russia has invaded Ukraine. Thatcher responded. I also agree there are too many psychopathic individuals in power but as long as we have a political system in which people climb over each other to get to the top it will always be so in all countries, even UK. And we tend to forget all the countries of the United Nations which are dictatorships (Zimbabwe, e.g., not to mention many other African states) or real monarchies Saudi Arabia) - I think about 30% or more. We reduced our monarchy to figurehead status in 1660, a good move.

Hellbent on not of

I agree with all the sentiments mentioned here, I would like to add the brutality against women , every day some women are murdered by husbands, partners, yes even strangers----
these girls are murdered in broad daylight, just taking their dog for a walk. They are not safe walking in a park, waiting at a bus stop, walking home, it has made me more aware of how cruel this life is, we live in fear.